Alberta Winter Games

AWG 2026 - expect information on selection and team formation process in the spring of 2025. 

Below: information from the 2024 AWG

Try out registration is now complete

All age eligible athletes (see ‘Athlete Eligibility’ below) will have the opportunity for a minimum number of skates in their zone. Lead evaluators will be centrally trained and work with evaluators locally. The same evaluation criteria and ranking system will be applied across the province.

Athletes from ALL zones will be ranked and placed in one list. From there, they will be drafted onto balanced teams and assigned a zone to represent.

1. Each zone will be represented by at least 10 skaters and 2 goaltenders, unless they have fewer than that attend tryouts.
2. The top 10 skaters from each zone will advance to the draft stage, and top 40+ athletes remaining on the province-wide list will advance as well.
3. All 120 skaters will then be combined into a single spreadsheet and ranked top to bottom prior to the draft stage. The goaltenders will also be ranked and drafted.
4. Each team will have 15 skaters and 2 goaltenders.
5. If a zone does not have 2 goaltenders, then that spot will be filled by the next highest ranked goaltender from the zone that had the most goaltenders try out. Should there be more than one open goaltender spot, they may be filled by goaltenders from more than one zone, depending on the percentage of goaltenders selected from different zones.
6. Athletes are unlikely to be representing the zone in which they reside.

The draft stage will be carried out virtually following the last zone evaluations by our evaluating team, coaching staff, and a RAB representative.

Athletes should expect to find out if they will be selected to a team by November 29, 2023. 

Ringette Alberta does not support the manipulation of the team formation within zones and will argue doing so violates Ringette Alberta’s Code of Conduct policy.  All eligible players need to be provided the opportunity to participate.  We would be highly disappointed if a local association/club coach, for example, discouraged their athletes from participating in the Games. The Alberta Winter Games offers once in a lifetime developmental (skills and life) experience. Therefore, each zone should be supporting their athletes to compete at the Games from the club and local association level. It is a great privilege to participate in the Alberta Winter Games, and Ringette Alberta encourages all athletes in their pursuit.

Following athlete selection, teams may have a few training opportunities, and all teams will have the same amount of time together prior to the Games. Costs will be kept as low as possible.

Ringette Alberta would like to thank Alberta Sport for their ongoing financial support and commitment to the Alberta Games.

AWG 2026 - expect information about coach selection in the spring of 2025

Below: information from the 2024 AWG

Each zone will be represented by 4 coaches, at least 2 of which must be female.

Head Coaches (and possibly assistants as well) will be randomly assigned a team/zone.

(If trades need to be made for a coach’s child to be on their team, it will take place after the draft.)

Similar to athletes, coaches will be mixed together and put on a coaching staff with the intention of finding a good balance between skills and mentorship.

Each team will have max 4 coaches. Either 1 Head Coach and 3 Assistants, or 1 Head Coach, 2 Assistants, and 1 Coach in Training.

The coaches selected for the Alberta Winter Games are listed below.

AWG 2026 - expect information about athlete eligibility in the spring of 2025

Below: information from the 2024 AWG

All eligible athletes must also be registered with Ringette Alberta for the playing season of the Games.

Alberta Sport has changed the age requirements for Alberta Games as of the Winter 2024 cycle. It is now a U17 tournament for ALL sports, and any athlete who turns 17 prior to or during the Games is ineligible to compete. This is in large part why we made the decision to move to a U16 tournament for AWG, to avoid having some athletes from the same birth year eligible while others aren’t. Athletes born in 2007 or earlier are not eligible.

Ringette Alberta hopes that the AWG will provide an opportunity for athlete and coach development across the province.

October 6, 2023: Athlete Registration is closed for this event. 

AWG 2026 - expect information about team training in the summer/fall of 2025

Below: information from the 2024 AWG

Teams will be allowed/encouraged to communicate periodically via Zoom (or similar). Teams will also be given a training weekend about 6 weeks prior to the AWG. This training weekend will be located somewhere central, and teams will each get at least 2 practices by themselves and 2 games against other teams, as well as time for team building and strategy/tactics reviews.

The goal will be to keep costs down, but provide an enriching environment for teams to get to know each other and get on the same page for the Games.